Playing with Fire
by Girl with the Dragon Heart
Summary: Katara has had it with the Water Tribe's patriarchal ways and is looking for a way to compete with her Water Bending. Luckily the Sparring Team at Ba Sing Se has its other starters and just needs a solid Water Bender.
1. Chapter 1

Katara had _had _it with the sexist jerks in charge of athletics at Northern Academy. As she stormed away from the icy training yards where other benders were practicing their fighting stances, she didn't notice how far her control had loosened. The fountains froze over as she passed, causing more than one student to turn and stare.

"Telling me I can't try out for the competitive bending team because I need to focus on my studies – my ass," she huffed. The other members of the team – all of them male – were not being _encouraged_ to step down from try-outs. It made her feel somewhat better that they could no longer just shut women out because of their sex and had to find creative ways to keep them off the team, but she was still seething. She felt trapped by the walls of the old fortress that had been turned into the world's most renowned medical school. It also happened to be the one place she had hoped to get a scholarship for her fighting while continuing to learn new water bending methods. That hope had just been dashed by the council at the Academy. She hadn't realized how _traditional_ the North was before she was escorted to the North by her older brother Sokka. Apparently, there had been some miscommunication and the Academy had thought the water bender they were expecting was male. The council had been dismayed to find that the children of the Southern chief were not both benders, and that the male did not plan on staying. They wanted little to do with his sister, and tried to convince him to stay to master the boomerang.

She decided that if she wanted to bend, nobody was going to stop her. She had been at the Academy for nearly a semester now, and Sokka had already started his studies at Ba Sing Se Univeristy. She had grown tired of fighting the patriarchal system in the North, especially now that the Sparring Team training and tryouts had started. If she were not going to make a team here, and if the Academy were going to keep pushing her toward the healing pathway, she would leave.

Katara had been in such a huff she wasn't consciously aware of storming through the fortress gates until she found herself about a quarter mile out on the ice shelf. She turned around and started the trek back to her dormitory. She found the letter Sokka had written her earlier in the week

_Sis, you would love it here. Nobody cares what type of bender you are, as long as you're good. I've already seen air and fire benders in the capitol of the Earth Kingdom. There's even a sect of girl warriors who live within the city. They're serving to get a scholarship to college and most of them come from a small island toward the southern part of the Earth Kingdom – about as close to Southern Water Tribe as you can get without being one of our relatives! (_Katara rolled her eyes at this)_ Katara, you need to see this place. I could have learned a lot about strategy and the sword at the North, but it's so much better with people of all four nations in one spot – you learn so many viewpoints! Think about it. Earth Benders, Air Benders, and I've even seen a few Fire Benders out. You're already bored at the North Pole. Just think about moving a little southwest and hanging out with your big bro for a semester abroad._

Katara thought about the sound rejection she had received from the Council and the Sparring Team Coach. She looked at the letter again. _I could definitely use a view that isn't frozen, _She thought to herself. _And I could use it longer than a semester abroad. _She began her transfer application that night.


	2. Chapter 2

_I don't own any of these characters or ATLA, etc._

**Chapter 2**

Katara took her stamped visa back from the Customs officer and made her way toward the platform for the trains headed into the city. Although the trip had been rather rough, her water bending ways had reveled in it. While the other earth and non-benders had been getting sick in the cramped quarters, she had skated along the deck during storms, sat entranced by the violent surges, and overall spent as little time in her cabin as possible. The sea passage north had been long and slow, ending during the mild summer months. After so much time trying to contain her bending abilities in order to impress the Council with her self control, she felt herself free for the first time in several months. She was almost disappointed to be done at the end of her trip to the capitol of the Earth Kingdom.

Katara took her visa and made her way over to the trains. She didn't sit to wait, eager to leave this dismal underground chamber and see the city. She noticed a pair of young parents cooing over their baby nearby. An older gentleman was sipping a hot cup of tea by one of the pillars and talking to somebody she couldn't quite see next to him. A group of girls in traditional Kyoshi warrior garb stood observing everything as well, occasionally making a remark to one another, but always sharply vigilant.

"Are you new to the city?" a deep voice by her ear shocked her out of her observations. She turned and saw a tall boy about her age with scruffy brown hair and a piece of straw sticking out of his mouth.

"What makes you say that?" she shot back before she could compose herself.

"Well, you do have a wide-eyed look of a baby raba-roo," he teased. "I'm Jet. I'm just returning from a visit to some friends in the south, and I know Ba Sing Se can be intimidating the first time you're here."

"Thanks for the concern; I think I'll be able to manage," she replied. "I'm Katara, by the way," she added, realizing her rudeness.

A train arrived, and Jet let her step on the car first, following her and sitting next to her without asking, but she was fine with the company. Their car contained the old man, the Kyoshi warriors, and a young man resting half his face against the window. Katara sat across from him, wondering why anyone would seem so eager to look out into a dank tunnel rather than watch the other people in the car. Then they were doused in sunlight. She was quickly glued to her own window as the fox antelope grazed outside. The train gained speed, and the fields quickly turned into a blur of patchwork. Jet continued to make small talk, and she would reply in kind, but she was much more interested in watching the inner wall of Ba Sing Se grow larger the more the earthbending conductors flew them toward it. The boy across from her kept his face against the window.

They passed through the inner wall and all was dark for another minute. The train slowed by a bit when it came out, and Katara was amazed at the vastness of the city. She had lived her life on empty ice shelves and desolate oceans, and thought the ice fortress of the North contained a lot of people, but this landscape was crowded with buildings and railways as far as the eye could see. She realized that none of her travels could have prepared her for this site, and understood why Jet could pick her out as a newcomer. This city was immense, and would swallow anybody who tried to soak it all in. The train slowed as they neared the station, and Katara gathered her luggage. She thanked Jet for his help as she stepped off the train, and immediately spotted her brother. Sokka ran up to her and gave her a big bear hug, causing her to drop a bag or two. He spun her around on the platform.

"Sis! I'm so happy you're finally here! I can't wait to introduce you everyone and show you around the campus. You'll love it!"

"Whoah, Sokka! Let a girl have some space to breathe!" she laughed as she made sure she still had all of her possessions. "Here, take one of these bags, will you?" she held out a duffle. When Sokka made no move to grab it from her, or even an indication that he had heard her, she looked up and noticed he was staring at one of the Kyoshi warriors. She punched him good naturedly. "Keep looking that way and I'll know you haven't won any girls over with your poetry," she teased as she pushed her bag into his arms.

"You'd be amazed at what I've done with haikus!" Sokka said as he led her out of the station and onto the busy street. "I won over an entire class one day. All girls too!"

"And how long did that last you?" she retorted.

They booked an ostrich-horse cart that took them to Sokka's apartment where Katara would crash until she could get into her own dormitory. Although the journey had taken a few weeks, she had still arrived well in advance of the beginning of classes. She continued to be amazed at how many people could fit into such a small place, and how the buildings were made completely of earth. Sokka unlocked the door to his flat and she collapsed on the couch, exhausted by the crowds but still motivated by the prospect of the competitive tryouts to come.

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for the views and review (you know who you are, Guest)! This is my first story after years of reading, and I finally understand those people who beg for reviews. I'm not like that. This is a side project of mine and I'll try to update as much as possible. In the meantime, please let me know if you have any questions or ideas – I've got a rough sketch but would love feedback. Thanks! - GDH_


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